4 of the Best Times to Buy Clothes for Less

I was recently at the Spanish retailer Zara and it happened to be in the throws of its annual summer sale. Now, during previous years, I’ve stopped in during this time, and I’ve always managed to find at least one drool-worthy item that fast became a staple in my wardrobe (OK, so this year it was three items, but who’s counting?). Because finding fashion at a discount is one of the things I do best, I’d like to share with you four of the best times to buy clothes for less.

IF you can hold out, national holidays like Labor Day, 4 th of July, even Father’s Day (yep, even women can get a good deal on the male-focused holiday), and the day after Christmas are all great times to stock up. For example, I was doing a closet makeover for a client, and while our session was scheduled for later that week, I couldn’t help but start shopping for her a little early to take advantage of some retailers 40 percent off storewide sales for the Memorial Day weekend. (Note: If you happen to make a purchase by as many as two weeks prior to a sale, all hope is not lost. Just hold onto your receipt and simply ask for a price adjustment once the sale begins).

2. A season behind

Last season’s Michael Kors, is still Michael Kors. If you think one season behind, and say buy your summer stuff toward the end of summer, you’ll not only get a great deal for what’s left of this year, but you’ll also have a jump on next summer — and honestly, styles don’t change all that much from year to year.

3. Email and social media

Because I’m a part of several store’s mailing list and follow it on its social media platforms, retailers like Victoria’s Secret and DSW send me a coupon when it’s been a while since I’ve shopped at their store. Yes, you may get a few unwanted emails in the process, but it’s a small price to pay when you’re the first to get the notices that items you want are now on sale.

This is helpful in spotting recent promo codes, or you just may find other retailers that carry the exact same item, but at a cheaper price. For example, I recently found 2 pair of Rachel Roy shorts at Macy’s that I really liked, but wasn’t sure I should get them because I was “supposed to be” going gang busters on some debt I am working to eliminate (yes, even I get the urge to splurge). Just for kicks, I Googled the two items and found them for a savings of $35, just by going directly to the Rachel Roy website, and on top of that I saved an additional $20 just for signing up for the email newsletter. So, in total I saved a whole $55, just by doing 10 minutes of research.

Brandhyze Stanley is the chief voice of Frugal-nomics.com, a platform designed to share with women how to live and look fabulous on a dime — created after a massive unexpected layoff forced her to hone in on her true passion.